Terrapin to unveil new Twilight brew on March 19

Posted: Friday, March 11, 2011

By Don Nelson

Athens craft brewery Terrapin Beer Co., working in tandem with the newly formed Athens Twilight Foundation, plans to unveil a new German-style beer this month as a commemorative brew for this year's Twilight Criterium cycling event.

The brewery and Athens Twilight Foundation will reveal the name of the new beer during a special fundraiser scheduled for 8-11:30 p.m., March 19 at the Terrapin Brewery, 265 Newton Bridge Road.

Terrapin's newest brew, based on the German ale known as Kölsch, will be available only in downtown Athens and only during the month of April, before and during the weekend of Twilight, which this year is scheduled for April 29 and 30.

Kölsch beer is traditionally brewed in the Köln (Cologne) region of Germany as a light, slightly fruity, straw-colored beer particularly good during warm weather, said Brian "Spike" Buckowski, Terrapin's co-founder and brewmaster.

Buckowski tried to emulate the process brewers in Cologne use, he said.

"We sourced high-quality German ingredients and made this beer as close as we could to what you would get if you visited Köln, Germany," Buckowski said in a news release.

Buckowski and business partner, John Cochran, brewed up the Kölsch-style beer to help out the Twilight Foundation, which was formed earlier this year and comprises a 20-person board of directors. The Twilight Foundation's mission is to oversee the annual Twilight Criterium, a premier professional bicycling race held in downtown Athens each April. The foundation's goal is to sustain the criterium as a downtown festival and community event. In addition, the group plans a year-round calendar of fundraising events like the beer release party to support cycling and fitness initiatives in Athens.

Tickets to the after-hours tour are $20 in advance and are available at Georgia Cycle Sport, The Hub, Graze and online at www.athenstwilightfoundation.org. Tickets also will be available the night of the tour at Terrapin for $25.

The fundraising event will feature live music by the Welfare Liners, tours of the brewery, beer tastings and raffles throughout the night. Local restaurant Graze will be selling burgers and salads the night of the event as well.

Terrapin Beer Co. brews five year-round beers, three seasonal beers, the Monster Beer Tour collection of five high-gravity selections and the Side Project series of beers highlighting one-time brewing improvisations.